Gas generator and separator.



B. o. SMITH. GAS GENERATOR AND SBPARAOR.

APPLIOATIONFILED IEB.] .1, 1914l Patented D60. 22, 1914.

Illlll/ innuendo@ C. qrf/ oE ICE.

vBEIIJAMIN c. SMITH, E BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'ro STANDARD MOTOR)CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEWJERSEY. v

- GAS GENEnA'roB. AND SEPAnA'roE.

Application iled February 11, 1914. Serial No. 818,017.

To all'whom it may conc/ern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN C. SMI'IH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bayonne, Hudson county,State of New i Jersey, have invented certain new and ilsefulImprovements in Gas Generators and Separator-s, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

-My invention relates to an improved gas generator for forming andsupplying gas to f internal combustion-engines, the object of theinvention being to provide an improved I constructionv whereby theheavier hydrocarbons may be successfully used in .the above'AIfboinection. Heretofore great vd'iiici-Ilty has beenexperienced in theattempts that have been made to use the-heavierliquid hydrocarbone, inthis connection because it has been Aimpossible to successfully andcompletely convert the liquid hydrocarbon into a gas beforey it reachesthe interior of the engine cylinderwith the result that some ofthe fuelin solid form would be drawn into the cylinder only to burn imperfectlyand therebycause the rapid accumulation 'of` carbon on thecylinderkwalls and piston head, to the injury of the efficient operationofthe motor. By my present improvement I have found a means foreffectively overcoming the diiliculties heretofore standing in the wayofi-complete success in the use of such fuel.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 -is an end elevation, partly insection, of

'35 a partl of an engine equipped with myI improvement. Fig. 2 is arelatively enlarged detail view. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the linewww.,

1 represents conventionally a motor of the 40 internal combustionvariety.

2 represents the exhaust port. 3 represents the exhaust pilpe. 4represents conventional y an oil feed tank designed to hold liquid fuelat the proper level relatively to the atomiz'er tips 5, which tips arelocated in `an air passage through which air may rush with a sufficientvelocity to draw off, in the form'ofspray,

the proper proportion of liquid fuel to make 6@ the proper gas mixture.

6 is a'pipe leading from the oil feed tank 4 upwardly to a pipe 7 whichrepresents the gas intake pipe of the motor, the same leading to theusual intake port of the m0- tor.' The pipe 6 leads up through theexhaust pipe 3 .so that the hot exhaust gases lwill constantly maintainthe pipe 6, at a high temperature while the engine is running. The innerdiameter of the pipe 7 is slightly less thanvthat of pipe 6 and the 60adjacent ends of these pipes are spaced apart with the ends Aoutwardlybeveled.

. The upper end of the pipe 6 and the pipe 7 are preferably inclosedwithin a tubular' jacket 8 above the exhaust pipe 3 to pre- 65 vent therapid radiation of heat from the v upper end of the pipe -6 and the pipe7,

where they lead from said exhaust pipei to the head of the engine. Theupper end -of,the` pipe 6 is provided with longitudinal 70 slots whichpreferably are arranged tan-y gentially as shown -in the section Fig. 3,this slotted upper end of said pipe performing the function of aseparator as hereinafter described. Within the pipek I pro- 7,5

vide means for imparting a whirling spiral movementto the ascendingatomized fuel. In `the preferred form, this means comprises a spiral 9formed by symmetrically twisting -a stripor plate about its longitudinaly center line with its side edges engaging the inner walls of the pipe.

In operation, the engine, on its suction v stroke, draws` air throughthe pipe-6. This air enters at the lower end of the oil feed 8'5 i tan-k4 and passes the sprayer tips 5--5 from which tips there is delivered aspray of the particular fuel used. If this fuel is one of the heavierhydrocarbons, it will not, I at ordinary temperature or even under theconditions incidental to the use of an ordinary gas generator, readilyvolatilize and, unless-some means is provided to preventit, some of thesolid fuel spray is bound to be drawn into the engine Where it willburn, ifat all, only slowly and imperfectly. By my improvement the spraypasses through the pipe 6 where in transit a centrifugal action is setup so as to cause the heavier or solid particles of the fuel to impingeagainst the wallof the pipe 6 where said particles -will lodge andwhere, by the direct `heat aperture' betn'een'the ten ef pipe 6end'beeseperated. fi-.om the" gas.; 'which letter 1 flew be' 'thi'.ehghthe"eine' te the Teesidehere` feedd. hy hemel. preeeee 'that 'Seme elthe. heaviest hydreeebehs; hithei'te fe-r seeded ee heini-1eme "fer eeen'tfhefeenf [died mee" be emrheed` with .entire Satiseh' 'hy the ese' efmy 'improved enbase- Ii desired.,.e` eleereneeepening' 8 theybefprovided@ ere being a damperor mov- 'fdde Slee-Ye eereeihg il'Qthere-.fee "fel added, ready Vdeeesje t0,- the Speee Where. theSeperated material aeeumul'ates to enable it to be defined I hdl-fe Dptdtt'mpld, i0. ShQl-l' the inlet portee-the inlet erexheeet relies fedehvfeatures being tete' el-lf1.m`eW-n t0. 17e'- adire hletseteh erdeserr'ted The ex.- heee@ Pipe 3-1 have. shown as broken off and 1t is"Obvious. 'thaty the` breken redpgert'ieu may comprise the usual terminalextension.

1l representsfthe usual fuel regulating.yalve'r by'whichthe liquid Vfuelfeed'may be regu- 'leeed' "It ehe'e'ld 'be y111.1041'eist-.eediY thatthe" pl tieeler :er-1.11 ef vererzer er eteheel" eeed'mey bemoeien atwill.

h `were attempts have been'V lmade to use .kereeehe 'which ie. heavyhydreeerheh es eellniiered with eeseledef it hes been vthe practice tostart vthe motor .v5/Vith gasolene entlthe parte" werel heated,wheelipen the lgerpsene feed has to vlee vs11bstituted` the geselene-Seek prefetlee may, ef Course; be

.availed .Of ih the Present @eee if it Seeme f. 355

expedient. l n 'am aware thetkeresene has been used with la moderatedegreeof success heretoeren en Ordinary Yephrzer, but se. fer es l amAwere;eheh' use hee' always resulted 'in the rapid. depest .et eerben 0nthe Cylinder .Walls and uponthe upper end ofthe piston, so that it cannot be said that such kefforts have. been entirely successful.'v The 'vfailure has been due lto, the fact that no means has heretofore beendevised to separate. the 'solid particles of fuel from the gas beforesaid fuel reaches thejcylin'der. By

kvmy improvement, vyhich in the preferred v form includes the" means forcausingthe 'centrifugal action within the pipe f6 to occur,

and-'also the use "of a separating means, it-

- s'impossiblesfor solid partszof thefuel to enter the.cylinder. Byapplying the eX- ternal kjacket 8, the heat lof the pipe 7 is'maintained so as to prevent condensationof the gas after it leaves theseparator.

It should be understoodk that the partienl lar method of heating thepipe 6 shown vherein--that is to say` by the hot exhaust eo,v

gases-'-s merely the preferredl method, since by employingsuch method,the greatest economies can vbe attained. It 'should also be understoodthat the means for. causi ing the current of air and fuel ,to Whirl forthe purpose -of vthrowing any solid particles' or? eontnue'thewhirling'action for a `suf-` iicient period toefectivel.' accomplishintended result 0f trees OI-Ihg '.Slbteetiallyall'ofthe-fuel intoa'gaseous mixture asdistinguished from'y a mixture in` which Solid.deep-'Si' 01, glilblers' ef fuel, "are Pre-dii# heid, fer .etheewieethe separater weeld discard such asubstantial proportion of fuel astodefeat the ends of economy and successfuloperation. i

-lt will bel understood that the se arator is\preferably located in thezone o vaction of the means for Ycausing centrifugal motion to beimparted to the moving mixture'so that any solid'fuel therein'will bedischa ed through thefports ofsaid separator;- -bviously, the number,shape and arrangement of these separator ports/maybefmodied lat will,although is preferred that said ports should befin the' form of slitsYsueltas described extending longitudinally `of the ppefelld havingeeeehdivey tease-neel errangement, fermingfther'eby relet'vely sheepedge Se theffhe Solid' prtelee'mw hereadily whirled eut of the "Pli'pe1f de.- sired, the 4sharp edges aforesaid ma be pressed in semewhet esiridieeted, 'in Fig. .3f While anyv solid particles offuel the currentwill be discharged V'centrifug'al force through the separator ports"6?'it is obvious that the current of gas will not be dischargedtherethrough by "reason 'of fthe vacuumi'n the pipe extension 7, It isp(' rtant'that the space around the' Separator should he inclosed sothat air vvill not leak in, to such an extent as to adulterate themixture. y What I claim is):

l. In a means-for.supplying nal combustion engines, means or atomizing aliquid fuel, a pipe arran ed to lead therefrom toward said engine,means'Within said pipe for positively advancing therethrough doublecontinuously "revolving spiral columns of air vand atomized fuelbringing all portions of each column during travel through the pipeprogressively'against the walls thereof and to cause any solid portionsgas to inter- 'of elle fuel 'against @he het was@ es ripe; muet be" eimeans that' will maintain therefrom toward said engine, means within 1 5said pipe for positively advancing therethrough. double continuouslyrevolving spiral columns of air and atomized fuel bringving all portionsof each column during travel through the pipev progressively against'the `means for whirling said current for coac-A heating said pipe, andmeans forseparating from the moving current any solid fuel that mayremain therein as the gas mixture `approaches said motor, saidseparating means beinglocated 1n the zone of action of the tiontherewith.

3. In a means for supplying gas to internal combustion engines, means'for atomizing'a liquid fuel, a pipe arranged to lead therefrom towardsaid engine, means Within said pipe for positively advancingtherethrough double continuously revolving spiral columns of air andatomized fuel bringing all portions of each column during travelthroughthe pipe progressively against the `Walls thereof and to causeany solid portions' of the fuel in said current to be impinged againstthe lvvalls of lthe pipe, means for heating saidy pipe, and meansextending longitudinally of said pipe for separating from the movingcurrent any solid fuel Athat may remain therein as the gas mixtureapproaches said motor.

4. .0 inf atom- In a vmeans for supplying gas therefrom toward saidengine, means Within said pipe for positively advancing therethroughdouble continuously revolving spiralcolumns of air and atomized fuelbringing all portions of each column during travel through the pipe'vprogressively' against the Walls thereof and to cause. any solidportionsof the fuel in said current to be impinged against the Wallsof the pipe,means for heating said pipe, and means for separating from the 4movingcurrent any solid fuel that may remain therein as the gas mixtureapproaches said motor,

said means including discharge ports in the side of said pipe. h

5. In a means for supplying gas to internal combustion engines, meansfor atomizing a liquid fuel, a pipe arranged to lead theref'rom towardsaid engine, means Within said pipe for positively advancingtherethrough double continuously revolving spiral columns 'of air andatomized fuel bringing all portions of each column during travel throughthe pipe progressively against the Walls thereof and to cause any solid'portions of the fuel in said current to be impinged against the Wallsof the pipe-, means for heating said pipe, and means'for `separatingfrom the moving current any solid fuel that may remain therein as thegas mixturel approaches s aid motor, said means including dischargeports in the side of said pipe, and .an inclosed space around saidpor-tsp 6. In a means for supplying gas to internal combustion engines,means for atomizing a. liquid fuel, a pipe arranged to lead therehfromtoward said engine, means within said pipe for positively advancingtherethrough double continuousl)7 revolving spiral columns of air andatomized fuel bringing all portions of each column during travel throughthe pipe progressively against the Walls thereof and lto cause any solidportions of the fuel4 in said vcurrent to be impinged against the `wallsof the pipe,l means for heating said pipe., means for separating fromthe ,moving current any solid fuel that may remain therein as the gasmixturek approaches said motor, said means including discharge ports inthe side of said pipe, an inclosed space around said ports, With meansfor permitting gas to the interior of said space. i

7. In a nieans'for supplying gas toy internal combustion engines, meansfor atomizing a liquid fuel, a pipe arranged to lead therefrom towardsaid engine, means Within said pipe .for positively advancing there-'through double continuously revolving spiral columns of air andatomized fuel bringing all portions of each column during travel throughthe pipe progressively against the Walls thereof and to 'cause any solidparticles of fuel in said current to be impinged' ing a liquid fuel, apipe arranged to leadltherefrom toWardsa-id engine, means within saidpipe for positively advancing therethrough double continuously revolvingspiral columns of'air and atomized fuel bring, ing all portionsof eachcolumn during travel through the pipe progressively against thevvalls'thereof and to cause any solid particles of fuel in said currentto be impinged against the Walls of the pipe, and means for heating saidpipe, said means including an external jacket arranged toconduct the hotexhaust gases of an engine alongside the pipe to be heated. y

9. In a means for supplying gas to internal combustion engines, meansfor atomizing a liquid fuel, a pipe arranged to lead therefrom towardsaid engine, means within said pipe for positively advancingtherethrough. double continuously revolving spiral columns of air andatomized fuel bringing all portions of each column during travel through`the pipe progressively against the walls thereof and to cause any solidparticles of fuel in said current to be impinged against the Walls ofthe pipe, and means,

side the pipe to be heated, said pipe to vbe heated projecting above andoutside of said exhaust pipe, with a separator for solld therefromtowardsaid'engine, means, Within .the pipe to cause any solid particles offuel therein to be impinged against the walls of 1() the pipe, a second`pipe of smaller inner diameter leading to the' engine having `the sameaxis as and spaced apart from thel top of the rst pipe having its-'end'Voutwardlyl beveled to forma separator for solidpartlcles of fuel thatmay leave the first pipe'.' n

p BENJAMIN CjsM'ITH.'

Witnesses: i V

R.v C. MITCHELL,- E. E. MORSE.

